Panhandle elections costlier this year

Official: Randall total to top budget

It cost Moore County $1.48 for each vote that was cast four years ago.

But that cost rose considerably this year, largely due to electronic voting equipment and a strong turnout for early voting. But it wasn't just Moore County that experienced the rising costs.

Many counties report poll workers earned more this year than in 2004, and voting equipment - not used in past elections but now widespread throughout the state - required expensive programming.

Potter and Randall counties don't have final numbers on their election costs, but Potter County Clerk Julie Smith said wages for those working during the early-voting period alone hit $15,000.

"Which is well worth it. But because they were so busy, everyone had to work every day, all hours," Smith said of her 13 early-election workers. "That doesn't include the people I had to pull from my office to go down to the (early-voting site) and help."

Each worker makes about $10 an hour and election judges and alternates receive a special delivery stipend for returning election results to the central office.

Smith estimates salaries for early voting and Election Day will reach $39,000, an increase of $12,500 from the 2004 race.

Meanwhile, electronic voting, actually coding the ballot, will run about $30,000 to $32,000, she said.

When President Bush won re-election, Potter County spent $26,500 on personnel costs for the election. The total election cost was $52,000, according to the Potter County Auditor's Office.

Randall County Clerk Sue Bartolino said mail-in ballots likely will cause costs to go over budget.

The county mailed out 2,941 ballots. Each ballot requires several envelopes and safety measures like water marks on ballots that cost 12 cents a sheet.

The county budgeted $142,000 for elections, but the account covers the entire year. Only a portion of that covers early-voting and Election Day costs.

Randall County spent $59,600 to hold the 2004 November election, with $38,500 of it going to salaries and other items, according to the Randall County Auditor's Office.

Moore County Clerk Brenda McKanna said a typical election costs about $5,000 for her county. The 2004 election cost her $8,454 for the 5,707 votes cast. This week, 5,499 Moore County residents turned out to vote. Despite fewer voters, it will cost more as election workers now make $10 per hour compared to $7 in 2004, and the previous election did not have electronic voting. Also, more workers with technical experience are required to assist with electronic voting. The county uses a combination of paper and electronic voting.

McKanna budgeted $50,000 for elections this year.

"My first year in office, I budgeted $20,000 and we had six elections," she said. "It's better to overbudget and be able to give money back."